Real-Life Inquiry-Based GC/MS Experiments for General Education Chemistry Courses

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Chemistry (12)The Chemistry Department is developing major enhancements to the general education chemistry courses, for both science majors and non-science majors. The enhancements focus on two topical areas, forensic chemistry and environmental chemistry, and include the addition of guided inquiry laboratory experiments using GC/MS. The project addresses several related needs: an applications oriented real life context for learning, and the use of direct active involvement pedagogies. New forensic and environmental experiments are being developed (and some also are being adapted from existing materials) for several courses, using the active inquiry experimental framework. These new experiments focus on using a GC/MS equipped with an autosampler and theestablishment of a remote data analysis site to allow regular use by laboratorysections of 18-24 students per section. Twelve experiments (four adapted from published works, eight new) are being developed, including two service learning experiments. The project also includes an outreach component, consisting of a series of workshops for area high school teachers. Workshops are providing hands-on experience with modern instrumentation, including GC/MS, NMR, AA, and FTIR, as well as emphasizing inquiry based experimentation, real-life applications, and service learning projects. The project is informed by the ongoing curricular revision process at Roanoke College. The unifying vision is an "Essential Questions" model for all general education classes, with active inquiry being emphasized in every General Education course. Introductory science courses for both majors and non-majors are being re-structured within this model, emphasizing current applications, current questions, and modern approaches. The intellectual merit of the project includes the development of new curricular materials bringing important real life applications into the laboratory experience of both science majors and non-majors. The new and adapted experiments are uniquely suited to the general education setting and include appropriate active learning pedagogies. Secondary benefits also result from the use of the GC/MS in upper level courses and undergraduate research. Broader impacts of the project include the dissemination of the curricular materials developed, workshops for high school teachers, and the improvement in the scientific education of many young citizens, both science majors and non-science majors. Each year, approximately 400 students are being impacted by the revised laboratory courses, and 24 high school teachers are participating in the workshops.